Automatic sprinkler or fire extinguisher



4 Aug. 23,1927;

. I 1,639,911 J. TAYLOR I AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER 0R FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Aug. 23. 1925 J Tag/0r" patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOHN TAYLOR, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 011 ONIFHALF rouarnnn & rLA'r'r- LIMITED, orflmmcnnsrnn, ENGLAND, A' BRITISH COMPANY.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER 6 R EIREV EXTINGUISHER.-

a u'eatiomfirea August 23, 1926, Serial No. 131,011, aaqfi ereatnruam m 1a, 192a:

This invention relates to automatic sprinklers or fire extinguishers of the type in which a frangible vessel or bulb is employed as a strut to support the sprinkler valve, the

a said vessel or bulb containing volatile or other liquid, which, when sufficiently heated, bursts the vessel, so allowing the sprinkler valve to open. The; frangible vessels or bulbs of the aforesaid type of sprinklers are u mounted between the valve cap of the sprinkler and a support beneath the bulb adjacent tothe spreader for the water which issues from the valve when the bulb bursts.

The object of my present invention is to provide means which ensure that the pres sure exerted upon the material of the bulb by its support shall be more or less uniform over the surface of the material in contact with the support, notwithstanding the slight imperfections or variations in the surface of the material unavoidable in the moulding of the bulbs.

My invention comprises the formation of the bulb support with a relatively soft metal part having a serrated or equivalent surface which contacts with the material of the bulb and which when pressure is applied between the bulb and support cold-flows to ensure even bedding of the bulb on its support.

My invention further comprises the formation of the relatively soft metal support with a hard metal part forming the pivot upon which the support is carried in the sprinkler head.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an automatic sprinkler having my invention embodied therein, in one convenient form.

Figures 2 and 3 are detail views drawn to a larger scale of the parts with which the bulb comes in contact.

The same reference letters in the three views indicate the same parts.

The support a for the lower end of the bulb b which may be made of glass, silica or other suitable material, consists of a tubular member with a serrated surface 0 or having a number of raised points or parts 59 thereon, which bears upon a flat surface (Z on the bulb around its enclosed end. The 4 adjustably connected thereto, a valve cap part a of the support which has the serrations 0 therein or the raised points or parts thereon is made of a relatively soft metal,

5 such as copper, but the part 6 which acts as the pivot of the support and bears upon the sprinkler head f adjacent the water spreader g is made of a hard metal.

With the construction of support described, the effect of screwing the frame f into the-head j and so tightening up the parts a and e, the'bulb b and the valve head it will be to cause the bulb b to receive definite support from each of the projecting serrations 0, for due to the shape of the latter and to the use of copper or other relatively soft metal, a small amount of cold flow of the metal of the points or high places is possible to enable bedding to take place. Such flow is arrested when the area which has to flow becomes too great, having regard to the pressure applied.

By providing the support with a hard metal tip 6 for carrying the load at the point where the support rests on the frame of the sprinkler head, I obviate any possibility of the support itself yielding under pressure at the said tip.

If desired, the valve cap it itself may also be made of a relatively soft material and beprovided with serrations as shown at i in Figure 2 or raised points or parts where it bears upon the bulb, but generally this will not be necessary.

What I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a bulb support for automatic sprinklers or fire extinguishers, comprising a body of relatively soft metal having a serrated surface which contacts with the material of the bulb and which when pressure is applied thereto is adapted to cold-flow to ensure of even bedding of the bulb on the support.

2. In automatic sprinklers or fire extinguishers, a bulb support composed of two parts, one of which is formed of hard metal to provide a pivot support in the sprinklers while the other part is formed of soft metal and is provided with a serrated surface adapted to contact with the bulb so that when pressure is applied to the bulb and support the serrated portions cold-flow to ensure of even bedding of the bulb on the support.

3. In automatic sprinklers or fire extinguishers, the combination, a head, a frame operably associated with the vessel, a frangible bulb and its support for holding the bulb against the valve cap including two parts, one of which is formed of hard metal and constitutes a pivot upon which the support is mounted in the frame while the other ,part is formed of relatively soft-metal having a serrated surface Wlnch contacts with the bulb so that when pressure is applied between the bulb and the support the serrated portions cold-flow to ensure of even bedding of the bulb on the support.

4:. In automatic sprinklers or fire extin- 10 gui shers as claimed in claim 3, wherein the Valve cap 1s also formed ofrelatively-soft metal having a serrated surface for contactlngwith the bulb so as to cold-flow and ensure of even bedding of the cap on the bulb. in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

J GEN TAYLOR. 

